Jesse Tyler Ferguson says he didn’t want to lead a Modern Family spin-off

Jesse Tyler Ferguson has revealed that he wasn’t eager to star in a proposed Modern Family spinoff after the long-running sitcom ended, saying he felt ready to explore new opportunities after more than a decade on the show.

Ferguson, who played Mitchell Pritchett throughout the ABC comedy’s 11-season run, spoke about the idea during an episode of his Dinner’s On Me podcast while chatting with actor Wendi McLendon-Covey. He explained that discussions were underway about a spinoff focused on Mitchell and his on-screen husband Cameron Tucker, played by Eric Stonestreet.

Although the actor initially expressed some interest in the project, he admitted he was also preparing for a different path, including plans to perform in a play in New York. After years working within the structure of a network sitcom, Ferguson said the possibility of continuing the same role made him feel conflicted.

“As the reality of maybe the spinoff was actually going to happen, I literally felt like, ‘Oh my God, I want to date other people,’” he said, describing his desire to try new creative experiences outside the familiar world of the show.

Ultimately, the proposed series never moved forward. Ferguson noted that after Modern Family wrapped in 2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic began soon after, he was eager to start a new chapter in his career and step away from the role he had played for over a decade.

Eric Stonestreet has previously said that a script for the spinoff had been written and would have followed Mitchell and Cameron’s life in Missouri, but the network ultimately chose not to proceed with the project. Despite that disappointment, both actors have expressed pride in the beloved characters they portrayed during the show’s successful run.

Modern Family, which aired from 2009 to 2020, became one of television’s most successful comedies, earning multiple Emmy Awards and building a loyal fan base around the interconnected Pritchett-Dunphy family.